Final Fantasy VIII: Redemption
by Dragon Knight
Summary: Darkness threatens once more and the world turns to a transfer student from Galbadia Garden and...Seifer?
1. Chapter 1

Redemption:  
  
Final Fantasy VIII  
  
***  
  
Before you judge me take a look at you  
  
Can't you find something better to do  
  
Point the finger, slow to understand  
  
Arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand  
  
: Metallica  
  
"Holier Than Thou"  
  
***  
  
"SEIFER." A gray-haired young woman calls across the hall.  
  
A tall blond man turns, "What is it, Fujin?"  
  
She jogs over to him, "SEE D EXAM. MEET HOUR. NEW STUDENT, TRAIN."  
  
"Fujin, why'd you leave me behind?" A well-built dark skinned man breathlessly runs up.  
  
"WIMP!" Fujin shouts as she kicks the man in the shin.  
  
"OUCH! What Fujin was trying to say was, that all SeeD recruits hafta report to the front hall in an hour and there's a new student who came to take the test. He's in the training center, now."  
  
"I understood what she said, Raijin! Let's go meet this student. The three of us are the Disciplinary Committee, after all."  
  
"Yo, you sure 'bout that, Seifer?"  
  
"Of course I'm sure! I wouldn't have said it if I hadn't meant it!" Seifer says as he strides to the Training center.  
  
Fujin and Raijin trail behind Seifer, albeit reluctantly. As the three walk through the huge gate they immediately snap to attention and draw their weapons, well aware that one moment of inattention could lead to death. In the distance they hear the sounds of monsters that lurk in the thick under- brush and above it all comes the sounds of a life and death struggle. Seifer stops, motions for Fujin and Raijin to slip off to the left and move in closer to the fight. While the pair follows his instructions, Seifer continues straight to the fight. What he sees when he arrives shocks him to the core. A young woman, even shorter and thinner than Selphie and bearing a wicked looking Glaive, is locked in battle with a Grat. It sweeps at her feet but just in time she managed to jump. After landing, she charges forward, a battle cry escapes her lips, and splits the grat from roots to its tentacles. She smoothly turns away from the carnage and tucks a lock of her black hair behind her ear. Seifer steps out from the brush, clears his throat, and freezes. His eyes widen as he realizes that the point of the glaive is poised only a few millimeters from his forehead. She looks at him and disgust flashes across her elfin features as she remove the glaive.  
  
"You shouldn't sneak up on people, it's a very deadly habit." She says to him as she moves off to face the next monster that thinks she's an easy meal.  
  
"Look, you, I don't think you know who I am…" Seifer starts.  
  
"Oh, you mean you're not the local asshole? 'Cause I assumed you were. And my name isn't You. It's Mileena Dubois." Mileena says, completely not intimidated.  
  
Fujin and Raijin take this moment to appear. Raijin is attempting not to laugh but is failing. Until Seifer glares at him, that is.  
  
"You listen up, Dubois. I'm the head of the Disciplinary Committee and if you know what's good for you, you better show some respect for me."  
  
Mileena just laughs but is cut off suddenly as she is slammed into Seifer who in turn hits a tree. Both hit the ground hard in a tangle. The T-rexaur roars triumphantly. Fujin tries to hold off the T-rexaur while Seifer and Mileena try to recover. Raijin attempts to run but Fujin grabs him. Mileena manages to get up first; of course she wasn't the one who hit the tree. She stumbles forward as she sweeps her right hand forward. The sounds of a powerful pair of wings fill the area as a huge bird flies in low. As he closes in on the T-rexaur he pulls up and flies straight toward the ceiling. Then he dives down, sending a huge shockwave at the monster. Finally he turns and serenely flies away. Seifer finally manages to pull himself up.  
  
"What the hell was that!?" he asks.  
  
"That was my GF, Palidor and we just saved your ass." She tells him calmly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the front hall for the SeeD exam."  
  
It's during this conversation that Seifer takes a good look at Mileena. She stands only about 4'8". She is exceedingly thin; her hair is black, just above her shoulders and is cut in the same style as Selphie's only completely straight. Her eyes are cold and dark purple. She's currently wearing the student's uniform. The glaive she carries is nearly three feet longer than she is and she wields it as smoothly as something half its size.  
  
Seeing that Seifer is involved with Mileena, Raijin takes this moment to pull out a small notebook. He makes a couple of marks in it and puts it away. Mileena, being true to her word, walks out of the training center. Seifer spins around and faces his friends, who are trying not to smile or in Raijin's case, laugh.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!?" He yells, and then storms out of the center.  
  
***  
  
Squall looks over the squad assignments for the exam, shakes his head, and then looks out of the window. Then he feels a pair of arms slide around his waist.  
  
"Squall, what's wrong? You look worried." Rinoa asks as Squall turns around in her embrace.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Nothing." Rinoa copies, and then giggles. "I thought we covered this a year ago. You know, about you trusting us and talking about your problems."  
  
  
  
"I know. I was just going over the squad assignments. Fujin, Raijin, and Seifer are on the same squad. I get the feeling that we're going to have a repeat of the Dollet Mission." Squall confides in his wife.  
  
"I'm sure everything will work out fine." She tells him.  
  
Squall leans over and kisses his wife, deeply, and then the door to their room swings open and slams against the wall.  
  
"YO, Squall…Oh man! You REALLY need to put a sign on your door when you guys do that!" Zell says, blushing furiously.  
  
"They wouldn't have to worry about that if you would learn how to knock." Quistis says as she enters behind Zell. "Anyway, the students are all gathered in the front hall and they're waiting on you. So whenever you're…ah…finished here, you can meet us downstairs." Quistis finishes with a smirk.  
  
Quistis leaves, and then notices that Zell is still gawking at the pair, and reaches back and grabs him. She then quietly closes the door. Squall and Rinoa hear Quistis berating Zell all the way down the hall.  
  
"I better go, before they send Irvine or Selphie up here and make this situation worse than it already is."  
  
"Hurry back. Remember we're still on our honeymoon."  
  
"How could I forget?" Squall says, giving her one of his rare smiles.  
  
***  
  
"Congratulations, you are the students that have met the qualifications to take the exam. You should all be very proud of yourselves and now to tell you the squad assignments, here's Commander Leonhart." Headmaster Cid announces to the gathered students.  
  
"Please don't call me that, Headmaster." Squall whispers to him. He quickly goes through the first three squads then announces D squad. "Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin. The leader is Mileena Dubois."  
  
"WHAT!? I'm not taking orders from a kid!" Seifer roars.  
  
"Then we shouldn't have any problems, because I'm 19." Mileena says.  
  
Raijin once more pulls out the notebook and makes another mark in it. This time Fujin notices.  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"I'm keeping score, ya know."  
  
"IDIOT."  
  
At the same time Zell turns to Quistis, "That name seems familiar, do you know anything about her?"  
  
"Of course I do, Zell, she was originally at Galbadia Garden. When Ultimecia took over she was the one who got all of the junior classmen out. Her nickname there was "The Demon" and for good reason, Seifer's finding out now. She's one of the few people he can't bully."  
  
"This will be interesting."  
  
"You have no idea, Zell."  
  
***  
  
After the students have gotten settled in the train, the real briefing begins.  
  
"SeeD have been hired by the city of Maranda. The monsters that had fallen because of the Lunar Cry have arrived there and the people are not equipped to handle the problem." Quistis tells Squad D.  
  
"Yo, Instructor Trepe, ain't Maranda near Galbadia?" Raijin asks.  
  
"Yes it is, but we foresee no problems with Galbadia. Mileena, you are to take your squad to this section of the forest and secure it. Eliminate any and all monsters you find there. Understood?"  
  
"Yes, Ma'am." Mileena says as she salutes.  
  
"Remember, from now on every move you make will be watched and graded. Oh and Seifer, try not to make a mess of this mission." Quistis tells them, almost pleading with Seifer at the end.  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Seifer says with a sneer.  
  
"You know, you'd get in a lot less trouble if you'd actually listen to your betters. Of course, that's nearly everyone. Sorry I didn't mean to make that too complicated for you." Mileena smirks.  
  
Raijin takes out his notebook and puts another mark in it. Fujin looks disgusted.  
  
"WHAT SCORE?" She asks.  
  
"5 to 1 she's winning, ya know." Raijin whispers to her. "I can't believe how badly he's losing."  
  
"Fujin! Raijin! Add Dubois to the List!" Seifer shouts as soon as the double insult hits home.  
  
"The List? What's that? People who can kick your ass?" Mileena asks.  
  
Once more the notebook comes out and a mark entered. Seifer clinches his fists and seethes at his inability to fluster the young woman. Quistis rolls her eyes.  
  
"This is going to be a long trip." Quistis murmurs to herself as she sits as far away from the students as possible.  
  
The rest of the trip goes rather smoothly except for one small incident. Seifer opens his mouth to say something, but before he can get the scathing remark out, Mileena beats him to the punch.  
  
"No, don't say anything, you'll only end up embarrassing yourself." Mileena says, holding up one delicate hand.  
  
Seifer turns red and sees it. For one moment everyone in the cabin, except Mileena, were sure that Seifer was going to take a swing at the woman. Instead he stands up and very carefully walks out of the cabin.  
  
***  
  
"Damn it! Doesn't she know who I am! I am Seifer Almasy, leader of the Disciplinary Committee. I'll show her! Just you wait, Mileena Dubois, I'm going to show you just who leads this squad!" Seifer thinks to himself as he paces up and down the hallway. He glances out the window and watched as Maranda comes into view. It looks quiet, too quiet. There should be signs of battle but there is nothing.  
  
"Seifer, this is it. Get ready." Mileena says as she leans against the wall, across from Seifer.  
  
"What's the matter? You scared, little kid?" Seifer sneers at her.  
  
"No, but I figured you might be." Mileena fires right back without losing a step.  
  
"Alright! Break it up, you two!" Quistis interrupts before anything can happen. "Assemble at the back of the train."  
  
"Yes, Ma'am." Mileena salutes and walks to the back.  
  
Quistis grabs Seifer's arm. "Please don't do anything stupid, Seifer. If you fail this exam you'll be expelled from Garden. I don't want to see that happen to you."  
  
"Don't worry about me, Instructor, worry about that child Squall has leading us." Seifer says with a look that chills Quistis to the bone.  
  
Seifer then walks to the back of the train, leaving Quistis praying that they all come back…alive.  
  
***  
  
"Alright! We are to secure the East entrance. So stay together and pay attention." Mileena says as she leads the way.  
  
The Disciplinary Committee follows her and immediately monsters assault them. A torama and a wendigo charge into the square and set up for their attack. Mileena immediately begins shouting orders.  
  
"Seifer, Raijin, you two take the wendigo. I'll take care of the torama. Fujin get ready with Esuna and Cure spells." She shouts as they break and take on their targets.  
  
Seifer and Raijin double-team the wendigo. They charge in from opposite directions with the ease that is born of working together for many years. Seifer reaches the creature first and leaps just as it tries to knock the man off of his feet. At the same time Raijin attacks the wendigo from the back. He swings his staff with such force that the collision can be heard over the other fight. The wendigo has no chance for a counter-attack because Seifer comes down with an overhand slash and pulls the trigger just as the blade connects, cleaving the creature neatly in half. Mileena faces off with the torama. It fires its blaster attack at her. She dives and rolls out of the way. She gets up and runs closer, and then using the speed she leaps up and uses her body weight to spear the torama to the ground. She flips off, leaving the glaive trapped in its body; she turns and fires a Firaga spell at it. The Torama instantly vaporizes and the glaive falls to the ground. She calmly walks over and picks it up.  
  
"Wow! That was awesome!" Raijin tells her.  
  
"Thanks, you weren't to bad yourself." She replies with just a hint of a smile across lips.  
  
***  
  
"MaStEr," a silky voice oozed from the shadows. "SeEd Is HeRe. ThEy HaVe CoMe LiKe YoU sAiD. tHeY aRe TaKiNg Up PoSiTiOnS sUrRoUnDiNg ThE cItY."  
  
"Good, let them get secured, then kill them." A sinister voice whispers.  
  
"EvEn ThE cHilDrEn?"  
  
"ALL OF THEM!!!!! NO SEED MUST BE LEFT ALIVE!" The Master roars.  
  
"YeS, mAsTeR, aS yOu WiSh."  
  
***  
  
"Shut up, Raijin, she got lucky!" Seifer growls at him.  
  
He immediately is rewarded by a glare from Mileena. "Get moving! We still need to secure the East entrance, that is if you haven't forgotten yet, Seifer." She snarls at him as she storms off. Seifer smiles as he follows. Fujin and Raijin bring up the rear.  
  
"Wow. I think Seifer finally got to her." Raijin tells Fujin as he places another mark in his notebook.  
  
"YES. NOT GOOD."  
  
"I agree with you completely, Fujin, she seems pretty cool. He shouldn't be so hard on her."  
  
"YOU LIKE" Fujin smirks.  
  
"Not like that. She ain't my type. She's just someone I'd like to have on my side in a fight."  
  
After a while they arrived at the East Gate. Oddly enough, no monsters decided to harass them.  
  
"It's too quite. Something should have attacked us by now and there's no movement in the houses. Someone should have peeked out of a window." Mileena says softly.  
  
"You're right, I'm going to check it out." Seifer says.  
  
"Oh no you're not. We were ordered to stay here." She says warningly.  
  
"Sorry, but it's time for your wake up call, Kid. I'm the Leader here, no matter what that idiot Squall says. I'm going." Seifer sneers as he turns to leave.  
  
"No, you're not." She says calmly and regally.  
  
The last thing Seifer sees as he turns to face her is her fist flying straight for his jaw. It connects and he collapses.  
  
"I said you're staying." She says to his unconscious figure.  
  
Fujin and Raijin just stand in shock. This little slip of a girl knocked out Seifer in one blow. Mileena calmly kneels, her back to a tree, and her glaive resting against her shoulder. She looks almost as though she's meditating. About 30 minutes later Seifer comes to.  
  
"Ohhhh. Why in hell did you hit me?" He asked Mileena.  
  
"Like you told me, "It's time for your wake up call." I only did what was necessary and do you really think that you should be in SeeD if you have a glass jaw?" She asks him.  
  
"Glass JAW! I oughta…" He says but is cut off as Mileena's hand comes up and motions to the side.  
  
"Shhhh. I think I heard something. Get ready…" She whispers to the three members of her squad.  
  
Then seven figures leap from the brush. They're humanoid shaped but their faces are defiantly not human. They carry a small arsenal with them. One shouts, "KiLl ThE SeEdS!" They charge the group.  
  
"It's a trap! Seifer, Fujin, Raijin, get back to the train! Now!" Mileena screams as she rushes forward to meet the onslaught.  
  
"What about you?!" Seifer yells.  
  
"I'll be fine! Someone's gotta guard your rear! Now go!"  
  
She ducks under the first's blow and swings her glaive up splitting him from groin to sternum. As he/she/it falls, two more arrive bent on getting revenge. She slips in between them. She drives her glaive into one's stomach, presses a button on the shaft of her weapon, causing a 6-inch blade to lock into place. Before the other thing realizes what happened she drives that blade into it. She jerks the blade from its black body and runs for the train. Then a shot rings out, Seifer hears the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the ground. He turns and sees Mileena sprawled on the path. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
***  
  
1 On through the Never  
  
We must go  
  
On through the Never  
  
Out to the  
  
Edge of Forever  
  
We must go  
  
On through the Never  
  
Then Never comes  
  
Lyrics by: Metallica  
  
"Through the Never"  
  
***  
  
"QUISTIS!" Fujin shouts as she nears the train. "ATTACKED. TRAP. MUST LEAVE."  
  
"Where are Mileena and Seifer?" She asks, as she gives the withdraw order.  
  
"MILEENA STAY GUARD REAR." Fujin says. She turns to Raijin, "SEIFER WHERE?"  
  
"Fujin, I think he went back for Mileena, ya know. I think she was shot." Raijin says, breathlessly.  
  
"My god, I hope they survive. The most important thing is to get the ones still alive out of here."  
  
***  
  
"Come on, Mileena, don't you die on me." Seifer says as he rolls her over. He is rewarded by a groan and a punch.  
  
"I'm not dead yet you son of a bitch." She tells him, clearly in pain. "I thought I gave you the order to evacuate."  
  
"You did but fortunately for you I don't follow orders."  
  
"Great. Now we'll both die. Let's just say you're the last person I want to die with."  
  
"The feeling is mutual." Seifer says as he drags her up. He then slings her over his shoulder and tries to run in the direction of the train.  
  
She starts squirming, "Seifer, you idiot! You'll never make it in time if you carry me."  
  
"I can go a lot faster if you stop moving!" he snaps back.  
  
She freezes and he runs as though all of hell is following behind him. They finally come within site of the train station. As he crests the hill, he sees the train pull away and leave.  
  
"Umm, Seifer." Mileena says.  
  
"WHAT!" He snaps at her.  
  
"I think we're about to have company." She tells him. Seifer dumps her on the ground and turns. "OUCH! You bastard! Put me down gently next time!"  
  
"We don't have time for this, Kid. I'm going to make a stand here." He snarls.  
  
"Great, I hope you know what you're doing. Otherwise, we're as good as dead."  
  
Seifer glares at her as he pulls his gunblade from its sheath. "Congratulations, Dubois, I think you pissed them off."  
  
"What did you want me to do, dumb ass, let them pick us off one at a time from the back?" She rages.  
  
Seifer didn't have time to respond because the seven things attacked at the same time. So he was kept busy trying to protect both Mileena and himself. The battle rages on for what seems like an eternity for Seifer when he felt a triple wave of heat roar past him. He sees three of the things become lunch specials. He turns his head and sees that Mileena had hauled herself up against a tree and had just dropped her arm. The attackers use Seifer's distraction to their advantage as they press the attack. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Mileena collapse in a pool of her own blood. In a blind rage, Seifer cuts loose with his limit break, Demon Slice, he runs to Mileena's side as the last body falls. He rips the shirt from one of the creatures and uses it to bind her leg. She slowly stirs as Seifer cradles her head.  
  
"Seifer..." She says weakly. "We...have to leave...more are coming. There's a cave, it's hidden we can stay for a few days. When our trail is cold we can head to Galbadia Garden." Her voice strengthens as she tries to stand. Seifer helps her get to her feet.  
  
"Alright, point the way." He says as he pulls her arm around his neck and wraps the other arm around her waist.  
  
She points off to the right. They begin walking. During the journey Mileena begins to weaken. Seifer realizes this and begins to bear more of her weight.  
  
"How much further, Mileena?" He asks gently.  
  
"Around this bend. You should go back and erase our tracks so they can't follow us."  
  
They round the bend, Seifer finds himself looking up at the side of a cliff face. At the bottom there is huge bushes and underbrush. He was about to ask her where the cave is, when a gust of wind sweeps along the floor and rustle the branches. Seifer notices something behind one of the bushes and he shoves his free arm through the bush and feels...nothing. He backs into the cave, using his body to protect Mileena from the branches. He helps her to the ground and he slips off his coat and drapes it across her.  
  
"I'll be back soon." He tells her, and then he leaves to erase the marks of their passage.  
  
Seifer thinks, "She's amazing. I've never met anyone like her. I wonder how she knew about that cave..." He finishes quickly and avoids the patrols on his way back to the cave.  
  
He slips in, to find Mileena asleep, curled up under his coat. She moans and begins tossing as a sweat breaks out on her body. She begins mumbling, getting more and more agitated. Seifer shakes her and quickly slaps a hand over her mouth as she sits straight up and screams. He feels tears run over his hand. He wraps his arms around her as she sobs into his shoulder.  
  
"This feels so familiar. I remember holding another girl like this. She had nightmares, too." Seifer thinks, as he holds her. "Shhhh, Lee, it'll be okay. I promise."  
  
Mileena pulls away from him in shock. "How did you know that name?" She asks him warily.  
  
"I don't know...it just seemed to be the right thing to call you."  
  
"Oh." She says with a twinge of disappointment.  
  
"What did you dream about?" He asks, trying to change the subject.  
  
"My father. He was very abusive. It didn't matter to him because I was adopted."  
  
"You were an orphan? So was I."  
  
"You were?" She asked, worriedly.  
  
"Yeah I grew up in an orphanage on the Centra continent."  
  
"By an ocean?"  
  
"Yes. There was a light house there, too."  
  
"I remember...we used to call the lady who ran it..."  
  
"Matron." They finished together.  
  
"Seifer...we grew up together, didn't we?" Mileena asks softly.  
  
***  
  
"Squall, Cid!" Quistis shouts as she enters the office. "The exam was a trap. A half hour after the squads were in place we were attacked."  
  
"How many were injured?" Squall asked.  
  
"All the ones that returned were injured, except for Fujin and Raijin. Two squads never returned. The only two students that have not been accounted for are Seifer and Mileena Dubois. The rest are dead."  
  
Cid sits down hard and places his head in his hands. "No. Not Seifer and Lee. Please not the both of them."  
  
"Sir?" Squall and Quistis ask at the same time.  
  
"Cid..." Edea whispered to her husband. "Perhaps we should leave him. I will explain to you about Mileena." She guides the two young people out of the office. Leaving Cid to cry in peace.  
  
"Matron, I understand why the loss of Seifer would upset the Headmaster, but why the girl." Squall asks.  
  
"Mileena was at the orphanage. She was the first. We had her since she was a baby until she was four."  
  
"Matron, I don't remember her." Quistis said, confused.  
  
"I doubt you would, Quistis. She was with you all for only six months. Seifer was her constant companion, her only friend."  
  
"Seifer...and Mileena...were friends!?" Squall squeaked.  
  
Even Quistis was shocked at that simple statement. "But, Matron, all they do is fight!"  
  
"They didn't always. I remember a game they used to play. I told them a story about Sorceresses and Knights. Seifer was enthralled, while Leena was more confused than anything. But she'd play because it would make Seifer happy. In fact, one day..."  
  
***  
  
Two children run out on the beach, watched carefully by who should have been their parents, had the children not been orphans. The girl was frail looking, with large purple eyes and short black hair, while her playmate was tall for his age with blond hair and blue eyes.  
  
"Seifer! Slow down! My legs are too short!" The girl cried out.  
  
"Sorry, Lee. It's just nice to be outside. I'm glad it stopped raining."  
  
"Me, too! What do you want to play?"  
  
"Hmmmm." Seifer thinks then he brightens. "I'll be a knight! You can be the Sorceress and I can save you from that dragon over there." He says, pointing at a boulder near the cliff.  
  
"Why do I have to be the Sorceress? I wanna be the Knight." Leena tells the young boy.  
  
"You can't be a knight. Only boys can."  
  
"Says who?"  
  
"Says...says...I don't know! That's the way it is! Only girls can be Sorceresses, so only boys can be Knights." Seifer says, proud of his logic.  
  
"I guess so...but if I'm a Sorceress, doesn't that mean I can use my magic to kill the dragon?"  
  
"No, cause that's not the way it's done."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yeah, so you go over there and scream. Then I'll slay the dragon and rescue you."  
  
"Okay." Leena says, walking over toward the rock as Seifer pulls out his wooden sword. "HELP, SAVE ME, SIR SEIFER!" She screams, not very convincingly but it was good enough for Seifer.  
  
Seifer immediately begins to fight the "dragon". A few minutes later Leena asks him, "Seifer, how much longer are you gonna be?"  
  
"I gotta do this right."  
  
The battle rages on and Leena begins to get more and more agitated. Then she shouts, "Seifer! Hurry up! I'm gettin bored."  
  
Seifer ignores her and continues the fight. Leena begins clinching her fists and frowns. Finally she'd had enough. She stomps over, grabs the largest piece of driftwood she can carry, and smashes it over the "dragon" nearly breaking the board.  
  
"There! It's dead! Let's play something else."  
  
Seifer gawks for a little while then says, "You can't do that!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Cause...Cause I'm supposed to rescue you!"  
  
"Well you took too long! So I rescued myself!" She says with a grin. "Next time you should be quicker."  
  
"Yeah...I guess I was a little slow. Next time I'm gonna kill it in one mighty stroke!" He laughs.  
  
***  
  
"We had some good times together." Seifer says with a small smile.  
  
"I guess."  
  
"Guess...Guess!?" Seifer says pretending to be angry. "I wonder if you're still ticklish?" He threatens moving closer to the wide-eyed woman.  
  
"No, Seifer. You wouldn't dare!" She stammers.  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't...?"  
  
Seifer pounces on her, being careful of her leg, tickles her unmercifully. She tries to defend herself but begins laughing too hard to put out much of an effort. He stops to let her breath for a bit when he notices her turning blue.  
  
"I guess you are." He says between laughs. "I've missed you."  
  
"You didn't even remember me how could you miss me?" She asks between gasps.  
  
"My heart never forgot, Lee."  
  
"We should get some sleep." She says, curling up with her back towards Seifer.  
  
He notices her shivering, so he pulls her into his lap and wraps the trench coat around her.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" She asks.  
  
"You've been shot, lost a lot of blood, and the last thing you need is hypothermia. You need to stay warm. So go to sleep."  
  
"Okay...thank you...Seifer..." She draws off as sleep claims her. 


	3. Chapter 3

***  
  
1 You still stood there screaming  
  
No one caring about these words you tell  
  
1.1.1.1 My friend before your voice is gone  
  
One man's fun is another's hell  
  
These times are sent to try men's souls  
  
1.2 Lyrics by: Metallica  
  
My Friend of Misery  
  
***  
  
"No...please don't hurt me, Daddy. I've been a good girl." A tiny girl whispered as she cowers, trying to get away from the man who was supposed to love her.  
  
The man backhands her, knocking her across the room.  
  
Leena whimpers and grips Seifer's vest as she buries her head further in his chest.  
  
He grabs her hands and hauls her up off the floor. The scene wrenches and a young woman is hanging from the ceiling by her arms. She's been badly beaten. A human-like creature walks toward her, holding a pair of electrodes.  
  
"TELL ME!" He demands.  
  
"Go to HELL!" Leena yells.  
  
As he is about to place the electrodes on her body a man walks from the shadows. He is tall, wears a white trench coat and bears a gunblade. He shoves the creature aside, cuts Leena down, and catches her as the scene disintegrates.  
  
"You came." She whispered.  
  
"Of course. I said I would always protect you. I will always be your Knight, I swear." He says as he pulls her close to him...  
  
1.2.1 Leena relaxes finally and falls into a dreamless sleep.  
  
***  
  
Leena is forced awake by the pain and heat streaming from her leg. Her eyes open as she realizes that she isn't in Seifer's lap anymore.  
  
"Seifer...Seifer!" She says as she looks around for the blond man.  
  
1.2.2 She struggles to her feet, grasping the cave walls. She slowly walks/drags herself to the opening of the cave but in her worry and fever addled mind she misjudged the distance. Her hands reach for the next section of the wall only to find...empty air. She falls forward, only to be caught by a pair of strong arms.  
  
***  
  
Seifer wakes up with the sunrise. He smiles softly as he looks down at the young woman wrapped in his arms. He brushes an errant strand of hair off of her face, then frowns as he feels warmth coming through the glove on his hand. He grips the glove with his teeth and pulls it off. He softly places his hand against her forehead and his eyes widen with worry as he realizes that she is running a fever. He holds her close as he realizes that they could never make it with her so ill. Then it hits him, he could get supplies from Maranda. He tries to move her to the side, only to find that she has a death grip on his vest. He carefully disentangles her hand and lays her down. He wraps his trench coat around her and grabs the Hyperion. He leans down and kisses her forehead lightly.  
  
"I'll be back, soon." He whispers to her.  
  
He makes his way through the forest, back to the town that started this whole situation. The slight breeze felt strange on his bare arms. He chuckled when he realized that this was the first time he's ever gone without his trench coat. Maranda was just as quiet as when his team arrived. He snuck around one of the houses, every nerve on edge. He carefully grips the hilt of the Hyperion as he pokes his head from around a corner. The square of the town was empty, it had the feel of a place that hasn't felt the touch of a human hand in decades. He quickly ducks into a house, the sight, and smell that greeted him nearly made him vomit. Seifer's hand flies up to his face. An entire family lay dead on the kitchen floor. Their stomachs bloated, wounds home to hundreds of maggots, and their eyes staring up at the heavens in fear. For the first time, he realized that there are worse things in this world than him. His deeds as the Sorceress's Knight were nothing compared to this single sight. The worse thing was that he knew the same sight would greet him in every house. Those creatures had just left. All they wanted was to lure SeeD out here and they succeeded. Now it is up to him to get Mileena back to Garden, safely. He quickly ran up the stairs and raided their medicine cabinet. He found enough to treat Lee's wound but now he needed to find food. He grabbed what was once the father's camping gear. He began stuffing it with food and water. He also grabbed a few blankets. Once he was finished there, he moved on to the next house. Soon the backpack was full, he hoped it would be enough to get them to Galbadia Garden. He shouldered the pack on his left shoulder, enabling him to drop it quickly, and keeping his sword arm free. He quickly made his way back to the cave. He was about to enter when a body fell out. He instinctually caught it, then he realized it was Mileena. He quickly gathered her into his arms and brought her back in. He laid her back on his coat, then begins pulling out the medical supplies. Her eyes were half closed as she drifted in and out of consciousness. He pulled out one of the bottles of water. He then begins unwrapping his make shift bandage, noting that it had stopped bleeding but the wound had a strange greenish tinge to it.  
  
Seifer whispered to her, "Lee, this is going to hurt."  
  
He pours some of the water on her wound. She jerked away from him and cried out as she sat up. She was breathing hard, her eyes wide. Seifer quickly wrapped his arms around her, "Lee, shhhhhhh, it'll be okay. I promise but I have to clean the wound."  
  
Her hands clutched weakly at his vest. She took a deep breath, released him, and nodded for him to continue. He worked quickly and soon her leg was wrapped in gauze.  
  
She began to relax, "Seifer, where were you? I was so scared when I woke up and you weren't there." She began sobbing but strangely no tears fell.  
  
Seifer wrapped his arms around her as he whispered, "Oh Lee. I'm sorry. I had to go to find medicine for you. I tried to be back before you woke up." He began rocking her.  
  
"Seifer, please, don't leave me again." She pleaded as a single tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"I promise. I won't leave you again." He whispered as he kissed her tear away.  
  
They stared deep into each other's eyes as their faces drew closer. After what seemed like an eternity their lips met. All of their desperation, worry, and loneliness poured into that single kiss. Soon one kiss led to another but both of them were looking for something different. Seifer found himself falling in love with her. Mileena wanted proof that she wasn't alone but Seifer believed that she loved him as well. That one misunderstanding turned what happened next into a mistake. They quickly stripped each other of their clothes. Seifer kissed her passionately as he entered her. She dug her nails into his back as he continued to thrust. Finally they came together, both gasping the other's name. Seifer rolled off of her and wrapped a blanket around them. He nuzzled her neck as he whispered, "I love you, Lee."  
  
Those words stopped Mileena's heart. As Seifer slept, she whispered to herself, "This shouldn't have happened." 


End file.
